Narrative:

This is my first time planned-for actual IMC flight. I called the delivery clearance on the ground at northeast ramp parking of ZZZ and was given a squawk; ZZZ1 departure clearance with other items: ...35(?)/...119.2/...3000/...advised controller IFR departure on request for takeoff. I repeated the squawk; ZZZ1 (?); 35/3000/119.2/advise controller IFR departure. When reading the ZZZ1 plate before taxiing; I noticed that I needed to keep runway heading and maintain 2000 ft until further clearance. When the controller advised me to contact approach and approved for frequency change; I thought that I could apply the rest of the clearance for 350 degree heading and 3000 ft altitude. I got into IMC at approximately 650 ft despite the forecasted overcast at 1100 ft. I executed a climbing turn and reported to the approach my current altitude (I recall something more than 1000 ft but not quite sure now) climbing 3000 ft; heading 350 degrees. I was confused about the 350 degree heading and the heading southwest of my flight direction to ZZZ2; so I halted at 150 degree heading but continue to climb. When approach asked what was my heading; I replied 150 degrees. I was reprimanded to keep runway heading; which I immediately corrected. I complied with the ATC instruction to climb to 4000 ft; which was the altitude I filed for; but declined the instructions of climbing to 5000 ft a few times because I was afraid of getting into icing conditions due to the freezing level of 5000 ft I got from the WX briefing and the visible moisture (it was raining at the time). The ATC controller gave me 2 choices of vectoring and GPS approach following the olm VOR. I chose the second choice because the plane has the GPS device (which I was mistakenly filed as /a instead of /G) and I had set it up for a GPS approach to runway 16 at ZZZ2. However; I was confused on the second part of the clearance to follow the olm VOR; which I didn't have the frequency for. I was very busy looking up the frequency for the olm VOR on the IFR low level chart and finding a way to set it up on the GPS that had already been set for the approach. In actual IMC with clouds of multiple shades around me; I got into adverse conditions and I was in some sort of a dive. I noticed the attitude went haywire; the engine sounded louder; and the airspeed indicator went to the yellow arc. I dropped everything and tried to cure the situation; I forgot to respond to the ATC calls. I do not recall how many times; but I know that it must have been more than once because I got into that adverse situation at least twice. In addition; added to all the confusion; I noticed that the GPS screen was not what I expected and I could not find a way to know where I was on the screen. At the end; the ATC controller offered to divert me to another airport; ZZZ3; where I could land visually. The approach advised me to call him through the ZZZ3 controller; which I did. I was advised that FSDO will give me a call later on. After refueling the plane; I decided to return to the aircraft base at ZZZ and terminated the flight. I filed for an IFR short flight with an ILS runway 13R approach from ZZZ3 to ZZZ because the IMC was still in effect and the base of clouds was only about less than 1000 ft; and because I could not stay in the plane with my wrecking nerve after the call. I had wanted to go home very badly. I executed the flight alright until the ATC controller gave me the l-turn final cut to join the localizer 13. I did turn left but when I heard the ATC controller repeated the clearance 'left-turn to 15 join the localizer; I thought I turned in a wrong direction; so reversed the direction of my turn to the right and repeated 'left-turn to 15 to join.' I speculate; now; that the second call was because I did not repeat the 'left-turn' instruction; not because I did it wrong the first time. After 40 or 50 degrees into the turn; the ATC controller called to tell me my mistake of executing the r-turn instead of the instructed (and repeated) l-turn. At the time; my workload was to the maximum due to my inability to change the GPS device to connect to the GS and localizer instrument (I did mention to the ATC controller during this time that I might not be able to use the ILS approach and asked for localizer approach instead; but I was declined due to the heavy IMC WX at the time). I found out and used the back-up instrument for the approach and confirmed with ATC that I would continue with the ILS approach. I feel that there are a few things that can help with this incidence. First; I need to be very familiar with the GPS device on board and should have set all the devices up instead of relying on one instrument (it would help if I asked for the VOR frequency instead of looking it up myself). Secondly; I feel that it would help me tremendously if the clearance were not so wordy. Despite the fact that the ATC controller wanted to be helpful and tried to point out all the steps; there is only so much information a person can digest and truly register -- especially when the WX plays a role. I wish I could have clrncs with fewer words and delivered in a slower speed. Thirdly; if the ATC controllers can keep their cool; it would help a lot. In the IMC; pilots already feel scared. I did! I actually feel scared of the ATC controllers more than the WX; although I know that I need their help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME PRIVATE PLT WITH INSTRUMENT RATING RELATES A HARROWING TALE OF THEIR FIRST ACTUAL IMC FLT.

Narrative: THIS IS MY FIRST TIME PLANNED-FOR ACTUAL IMC FLT. I CALLED THE DELIVERY CLRNC ON THE GND AT NE RAMP PARKING OF ZZZ AND WAS GIVEN A SQUAWK; ZZZ1 DEP CLRNC WITH OTHER ITEMS: ...35(?)/...119.2/...3000/...ADVISED CTLR IFR DEP ON REQUEST FOR TKOF. I REPEATED THE SQUAWK; ZZZ1 (?); 35/3000/119.2/ADVISE CTLR IFR DEP. WHEN READING THE ZZZ1 PLATE BEFORE TAXIING; I NOTICED THAT I NEEDED TO KEEP RWY HDG AND MAINTAIN 2000 FT UNTIL FURTHER CLRNC. WHEN THE CTLR ADVISED ME TO CONTACT APCH AND APPROVED FOR FREQ CHANGE; I THOUGHT THAT I COULD APPLY THE REST OF THE CLRNC FOR 350 DEG HDG AND 3000 FT ALT. I GOT INTO IMC AT APPROX 650 FT DESPITE THE FORECASTED OVCST AT 1100 FT. I EXECUTED A CLBING TURN AND RPTED TO THE APCH MY CURRENT ALT (I RECALL SOMETHING MORE THAN 1000 FT BUT NOT QUITE SURE NOW) CLBING 3000 FT; HDG 350 DEGS. I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT THE 350 DEG HDG AND THE HDG SW OF MY FLT DIRECTION TO ZZZ2; SO I HALTED AT 150 DEG HDG BUT CONTINUE TO CLB. WHEN APCH ASKED WHAT WAS MY HDG; I REPLIED 150 DEGS. I WAS REPRIMANDED TO KEEP RWY HDG; WHICH I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED. I COMPLIED WITH THE ATC INSTRUCTION TO CLB TO 4000 FT; WHICH WAS THE ALT I FILED FOR; BUT DECLINED THE INSTRUCTIONS OF CLBING TO 5000 FT A FEW TIMES BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID OF GETTING INTO ICING CONDITIONS DUE TO THE FREEZING LEVEL OF 5000 FT I GOT FROM THE WX BRIEFING AND THE VISIBLE MOISTURE (IT WAS RAINING AT THE TIME). THE ATC CTLR GAVE ME 2 CHOICES OF VECTORING AND GPS APCH FOLLOWING THE OLM VOR. I CHOSE THE SECOND CHOICE BECAUSE THE PLANE HAS THE GPS DEVICE (WHICH I WAS MISTAKENLY FILED AS /A INSTEAD OF /G) AND I HAD SET IT UP FOR A GPS APCH TO RWY 16 AT ZZZ2. HOWEVER; I WAS CONFUSED ON THE SECOND PART OF THE CLRNC TO FOLLOW THE OLM VOR; WHICH I DIDN'T HAVE THE FREQ FOR. I WAS VERY BUSY LOOKING UP THE FREQ FOR THE OLM VOR ON THE IFR LOW LEVEL CHART AND FINDING A WAY TO SET IT UP ON THE GPS THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN SET FOR THE APCH. IN ACTUAL IMC WITH CLOUDS OF MULTIPLE SHADES AROUND ME; I GOT INTO ADVERSE CONDITIONS AND I WAS IN SOME SORT OF A DIVE. I NOTICED THE ATTITUDE WENT HAYWIRE; THE ENG SOUNDED LOUDER; AND THE AIRSPD INDICATOR WENT TO THE YELLOW ARC. I DROPPED EVERYTHING AND TRIED TO CURE THE SITUATION; I FORGOT TO RESPOND TO THE ATC CALLS. I DO NOT RECALL HOW MANY TIMES; BUT I KNOW THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN MORE THAN ONCE BECAUSE I GOT INTO THAT ADVERSE SITUATION AT LEAST TWICE. IN ADDITION; ADDED TO ALL THE CONFUSION; I NOTICED THAT THE GPS SCREEN WAS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED AND I COULD NOT FIND A WAY TO KNOW WHERE I WAS ON THE SCREEN. AT THE END; THE ATC CTLR OFFERED TO DIVERT ME TO ANOTHER ARPT; ZZZ3; WHERE I COULD LAND VISUALLY. THE APCH ADVISED ME TO CALL HIM THROUGH THE ZZZ3 CTLR; WHICH I DID. I WAS ADVISED THAT FSDO WILL GIVE ME A CALL LATER ON. AFTER REFUELING THE PLANE; I DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE ACFT BASE AT ZZZ AND TERMINATED THE FLT. I FILED FOR AN IFR SHORT FLT WITH AN ILS RWY 13R APCH FROM ZZZ3 TO ZZZ BECAUSE THE IMC WAS STILL IN EFFECT AND THE BASE OF CLOUDS WAS ONLY ABOUT LESS THAN 1000 FT; AND BECAUSE I COULD NOT STAY IN THE PLANE WITH MY WRECKING NERVE AFTER THE CALL. I HAD WANTED TO GO HOME VERY BADLY. I EXECUTED THE FLT ALRIGHT UNTIL THE ATC CTLR GAVE ME THE L-TURN FINAL CUT TO JOIN THE LOC 13. I DID TURN L BUT WHEN I HEARD THE ATC CTLR REPEATED THE CLRNC 'L-TURN TO 15 JOIN THE LOC; I THOUGHT I TURNED IN A WRONG DIRECTION; SO REVERSED THE DIRECTION OF MY TURN TO THE R AND REPEATED 'L-TURN TO 15 TO JOIN.' I SPECULATE; NOW; THAT THE SECOND CALL WAS BECAUSE I DID NOT REPEAT THE 'L-TURN' INSTRUCTION; NOT BECAUSE I DID IT WRONG THE FIRST TIME. AFTER 40 OR 50 DEGS INTO THE TURN; THE ATC CTLR CALLED TO TELL ME MY MISTAKE OF EXECUTING THE R-TURN INSTEAD OF THE INSTRUCTED (AND REPEATED) L-TURN. AT THE TIME; MY WORKLOAD WAS TO THE MAX DUE TO MY INABILITY TO CHANGE THE GPS DEVICE TO CONNECT TO THE GS AND LOC INST (I DID MENTION TO THE ATC CTLR DURING THIS TIME THAT I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE ILS APCH AND ASKED FOR LOC APCH INSTEAD; BUT I WAS DECLINED DUE TO THE HVY IMC WX AT THE TIME). I FOUND OUT AND USED THE BACK-UP INST FOR THE APCH AND CONFIRMED WITH ATC THAT I WOULD CONTINUE WITH THE ILS APCH. I FEEL THAT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT CAN HELP WITH THIS INCIDENCE. FIRST; I NEED TO BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE GPS DEVICE ON BOARD AND SHOULD HAVE SET ALL THE DEVICES UP INSTEAD OF RELYING ON ONE INST (IT WOULD HELP IF I ASKED FOR THE VOR FREQ INSTEAD OF LOOKING IT UP MYSELF). SECONDLY; I FEEL THAT IT WOULD HELP ME TREMENDOUSLY IF THE CLRNC WERE NOT SO WORDY. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE ATC CTLR WANTED TO BE HELPFUL AND TRIED TO POINT OUT ALL THE STEPS; THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH INFO A PERSON CAN DIGEST AND TRULY REGISTER -- ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WX PLAYS A ROLE. I WISH I COULD HAVE CLRNCS WITH FEWER WORDS AND DELIVERED IN A SLOWER SPD. THIRDLY; IF THE ATC CTLRS CAN KEEP THEIR COOL; IT WOULD HELP A LOT. IN THE IMC; PLTS ALREADY FEEL SCARED. I DID! I ACTUALLY FEEL SCARED OF THE ATC CTLRS MORE THAN THE WX; ALTHOUGH I KNOW THAT I NEED THEIR HELP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.